Taxation Roll 1363
The series of archives preserved under the name of the Letter Books are so-called because each volume is named by a letter of the alphabet. There are fifty volumes in total lettered from A to Z and again from AA to ZZ with two odd volumes named "&c" and "AB". The Letter Books are bound volumes of manuscripts, in English, Latin and Norman-French, relating to the proceedings of the Court of Common Council and the Court of Aldermen extending from the time of Edward I to almost the end of the reign of James II.
A selection from the Letter Books was first made accessible by the transcriptions of Henry Thomas Riley MA (Note 1). A more complete set of transcriptions was made available in the volumes published in 1905 under the editorship of Reginald R Sharpe DCL. (Note 2)
Letter Book G (c1352 - 1374) contains a tax roll from 1363 which contains the earliest known reference to the Bowyers as a company. There are earlier references in the Letter Books to bows, bowyers and persons with the surname of "le Bowyer or le Bowyere" (who may or may not have been connected with the trade) but there is no earlier known reference to the Bowyers as a corporate body. The full text of the tax roll is reproduced below using the original spelling. The contribution from the Bowyers of 60s or £3 is modest when compared with the four of the Great Twelve Companies who contributed £40 each. The original document is held at the Metropolitan Archive.
Folio cxxxiii
Be it remembered that John de Cauntebrigge, the Chamberlain, received from divers misteries for a present sent to the King viz anno 37 (Edward III) (1363): from
| Brasiers | 10 marks |
| Sporiers | 40s |
| Tanners without Neugate | 40s |
| Robert de Thame, cornmongere | 2 marks |
| William Botoner | 60s |
| Thomas Brakenburgh | 2 marks |
| Butchers of St Nicholas | £9 |
| John Hydingham | 10s |
| Thomas Boltone | 13s 4d |
| Robert Lightfot | 6s 8d |
| Butchers of "Les Stokkes | "£6 |
| William Stoket, fuller | 6s 8d |
| Henry Yerdele | 50s |
| William Doder, fuller | half a mark |
| John Peremay | 1 mark |
| John Beaufrount | 20s |
| John Buksted | half a mark |
| Grossers | £26 6s 8d |
| John Olescompe | half a mark |
| Poulterers | 10 marks |
| Courreours | 5 marks |
| Butchers of Estchep | £8 |
| John Pountfreyt | £13 4d |
| Robert Gurdelere | 13s 4d |
| Robert Ivingho and his fellow salters | 5 marks |
| Bowyers | 60s |
| John Rameseye | 2 marks |
| Richard Lakenham | 20s |
| John Graftone | 6s 8d |
| four dieghers | 2 marks |
| John Cook, fullere | half a mark |
| Robert Spaldyng | half a mark |
| Richard Nortone | 10s |
| Philip Draper, Cook | half a mark |
| William Harewedone | half a mark |
| William Walpol and Richard Hermar | half a mark |
| Bartholomew Smyth | half a mark |
| Richard and Richard atte Crouchewebbes | one mark |
| Adam de St Alban smythe | half a mark |
| Ismongers | £7 18s 4d |
| Thomas Serlond | 20s |
| Gylmyn Bakere | 13s 4d |
| Richard atte Dyche plomer | half a mark |
| Thomas atte Dyche plomer | half a mark |
| Peter Van | 13s 4d |
| William Spynk | half a mark |
| Laurence Beaumond | 10s |
| Chandlers | £8 |
| William Breckles | 10s |
| Peutres | 100s |
| Tailors | £20 |
| John Benet | half a mark |
| Henry Ware | 40s |
| Nicholas Potyn fullere | half a mark |
| William West | half a mark |
| John Potenhale | 2 marks |
| Robert Potenhale | 1 mark |
| Wexchaundlers | 40s |
| Adam de St Ive | 40s |
| Simon Spicer | 13s 4d |
| Robert Etegroue | 6s 8d |
| Tanners without Crepelgate | 31s |
| Pouchemakers | 5 marks |
| Two cappers | 13s 4d |
| Vintners | £33 6s 8d |
| William Bonet | 10s |
| Skinners | £40 |
| William Dykeman | 40s |
| Cordwainers | 10 marks |
| Thomas Fant, William Sunyng and William Kyng | 20s |
| Brewers | £14 6s 8d |
| Saddlers | 100s |
| Cutlers | £4 |
| Fishmongers | £40 |
| Mercers | £40 |
| Girdlers | £6 13s 4d |
| Grossers in the Ropery | 100s |
| John Cokke | 13s 4d |
| Richard Dighere | 6s 8d |
| Adam Carlelle spicer | half a mark |
| Thomas the scrivener in Frydaystret | half a mark |
| Gloveres | 20s |
| John Herlawe | half a mark |
| Andrew Pyebakere | half a mark |
| John Cressyngham | half a mark |
| John atte Harpe | half a mark |
| John Seint Ive and Roger atte Basket | half a mark |
| Armourers | 60s |
| Thomas atte Swan | half a mark |
| Simon Levelyf | half a mark |
| Laurence Folevyle | half a mark |
| Thomas Grantham | 1 mark |
| Goldsmiths | £20 |
| John Harewardestoke | 20s |
| Gilbert Prynce | 6s 8d |
| Drapers | £40 |
| John Bullok tapicer | 13s 4d |
| John Wodegate | 6s 8d | Total | £428 9s 4d |
Simon Leach
October 2013
Note 1: Henry Thomas Riley MA - "Memorials of London and London Life in the XIIIth, XIVth and XVth Centuries: A series of Extracts , Local, Social and Political from the early archives of the City of London AD 1276 - 1419" (Published 1868) [Guildhall Library shelf ref L20]
Note 2: Reginald R Sharpe DCL (editor) "Calender of Letter-Books of the City of London printed by order of the Corporation under the direction of the Library Committee". Printer John Edward Francis, Bream's Buildings EC 1905. [Guildhall Library shelf ref L70.111)